Latest COE results 2026: Cat A drops by 0.45% to $124,229; all other categories rise yet again
Except for Cat A, premiums have risen by as much as 5.4 per cent.
PHOTO: Ben Chia
PUBLISHED ONMay 20, 2026 8:23 AMBYRaewyn KohDespite receiving nearly twice the number of bids to the number of Category A Certificate of Entitlement (COE) quota, premiums dropped by 0.45 per cent to $124,229 in the second COE bidding exercise of May 2026.
This isn't the case for the other categories. All other categories also saw close to a 2:1 bid to quota ratio, but premiums have risen by as much as 5.4 per cent.
Category B, which is the premium for larger cars, rose 2.59 per cent, saw an end bid of $129,501. Category C, for goods vehicles and buses, rose by 5.4 per cent - its biggest jump of the year - to close at $92,223. An LTA spokesperson commented that the rise could be due to "an increase in eHGV and e-bus registrations since January 2026, which may be due to the increasing take up of the Heavy Vehicle Zero Tailpipe Emissions Scheme (HVZES)."
Category D, for motorcycles, rose by 2.51 per cent to close $9,689. Category E, which is the open category and mainly sees bidders from luxury car buyers, dealerships and private-hire companies, rose 2.36 per cent to close at $130,000 this round.
LTA reminds car buyers and dealers to be prudent when bidding for COEs.
Here's a summary of the results of the second COE bidding exercise of May 2026:
| Category | Current COE | Previous COE | Difference | PQP |
| A | $124,229 | $124,790 | -$561 | $112,324 (May) |
| B | $129,501 | $126,236 | +$3,265 | $114,577 (May) |
| C | $92,223 | $87,479 | +$4,744 | $77,884 (May) |
| D | $9,689 | $9,452 | +$237 | $8,960 (May) |
| E | $130,000 | $127,700 | +$2,300 | Not applicable |
Past COE bidding results
First May 2026 COE bidding results
| Category | Current COE | Previous COE | Difference | PQP |
| A | $124,790 | $123,010 | +$1,780 | $112,324 (May) |
| B | $126,236 | $121,001 | +$5,235 | $114,577 (May) |
| C | $87,479 | $83,501 | +$3,978 | $77,884 (May) |
| D | $9,452 | $9,290 | +$162 | $8,960 (May) |
| E | $127,700 | $125,002 | +$2,698 | Not applicable |
An LTA spokesperson commented that "the upcoming Car Expo... is likely to lead to elevated COE prices that negate discounts for purchases during this period." Car buyers are urged to bid prudently.
Second April 2026 COE bidding results
| Category | Current COE | Previous COE | Difference | PQP |
| A | $123,010 | $118,000 | +$5,010 | $107,407 (April) |
| B | $121,001 | $121,000 | +$1 | $114,366 (April) |
| C | $83,501 | $80,001 | +$3,500 | $75,751 (April) |
| D | $9,290 | $10,000 | -$710 | $8,670 (April) |
| E | $125,002 | $121,001 | +$4,001 | Not applicable |
Category A rose 4.25 per cent this round to close at $123,010 - the first time it's crossed the $120,000 mark since October 2025. Category B, meant for larger cars, however, only rose by $1 since the last round of bidding. Since $1 is the minimal increase for COE, the slight shift does signify a steadying market demand for Cat B cars.
First April 2026 COE bidding results
| Category | Current COE | Previous COE | Difference | PQP |
| A | $118,000 | $111,890 | +$6,110 | $107,407 (April) |
| B | $121,000 | $115,568 | +$5,432 | $114,366 (April) |
| C | $80,001 | $78,000 | +$2,001 | $75,751 (April) |
| D | $10,000 | $9,589 | +$411 | $8,670 (April) |
| E | $121,001 | $118,119 | +$2,882 | Not applicable |
Second March 2026 COE bidding results
| Category | Current COE | Previous COE | Difference | PQP |
| A | $111,890 | $108,220 | +$3,670 | $106,541 (March) |
| B | $115,568 | $114,002 | +$1,566 | $115,938 (March) |
| C | $78,000 | $76,000 | +$2,000 | $75,669 (March) |
| D | $9,589 | $8,602 | +$987 | $8,367 (March) |
| E | $118,119 | $114,890 | +$3,229 | Not applicable |
First March 2026 COE bidding results
| Category | Current COE | Previous COE | Difference | PQP |
| A | $108,220 | $106,401 | +$1,719 | $106,541 (March) |
| B | $114,002 | $105,001 | +$9,001 | $115,938 (March) |
| C | $76,000 | $74,999 | +$1,001 | $75,669 (March) |
| D | $8,602 | $7,989 | +$613 | $8,367 (March) |
| E | $114,890 | $112,890 | +$2,000 | Not applicable |
Second February 2026 COE bidding results
| Category | Current COE | Previous COE | Difference | PQP |
| A | $106,401 | $106,320 | +$81 | $107,571 (Feb) |
| B | $105,001 | $110,890 | -$5,889 | $120,772 (Feb) |
| C | $74,999 | $74,801 | +$198 | $76,100 (Feb) |
| D | $7,989 | $8,289 | -$300 | $8,542 (Feb) |
| E | $112,890 | $116,000 | -$3,110 | Not applicable |
Bids for Category B, for larger cars, decreased by another 5.3 per cent to close at $105,001, a price lower than Category A for the first time since July 2018.
First February 2026 COE bidding results
| Category | Current COE | Previous COE | Difference | PQP |
| A | $106,320 | $109,501 | -$3,181 | $107,571 (Feb) |
| B | $110,890 | $121,634 | -$10,744 | $120,772 (Feb) |
| C | $74,801 | $75,202 | -$401 | $76,100 (Feb) |
| D | $8,289 | $8,860 | -$571 | $8,542 (Feb) |
| E | $116,000 | $120,891 | -$4,891 | Not applicable |
Despite the decreases across the board, COE premiums are still considerably high. Said an LTA spokesperson, "while COE prices have moderated in the recent exercise, they remain elevated, reflecting sustained demand. We advise car buyers and dealers to be prudent in bidding for COEs."
Second January 2026 COE bidding results
| Category | Current COE | Previous COE | Difference | PQP |
| A | $109,501 | $102,009 | +$7,492 | $114,004 (Jan) |
| B | $121,634 | $119,100 | +$2,534 | $126,131 (Jan) |
| C | $75,202 | $75,503 | -$301 | $76,166 (Jan) |
| D | $8,860 | $8,689 | +$171 | $8,817 (Jan) |
| E | $120,891 | $122,000 | -$1,109 | Not applicable |
LTA has attributed the increase in COE prices to two factors. "COE prices have increased, likely due to seasonal demand arising from the Singapore Motor Show and the upcoming Chinese New Year period. We strongly advise car buyers and dealers to be prudent in bidding for COEs," stated an LTA spokesperson.
First January 2026 COE bidding results
| Category | Current COE | Previous COE | Difference | PQP |
| A | $102,009 | $109,501 | -$7,492 | $114,004 (Jan) |
| B | $119,100 | $115,102 | +$3,998 | $126,131 (Jan) |
| C | $75,503 | $77,003 | -$1,500 | $76,166 (Jan) |
| D | $8,689 | $8,081 | +$608 | $8,817 (Jan) |
| E | $122,000 | $119,000 | +$3,000 | Not applicable |
Read more about COE prices in 2025.
Frequently asked questions about COE
What are the COE categories?
- Category A: ICE cars with an engine capacity of 1,600cc or less, and a maximum power output of 130bhp, or fully electric cars with a maximum power output of up to 110kW (147bhp).
- Category B: Hybrid cars with an engine capacity above 1,600cc, and a maximum power output above 130bhp, or fully electric cars with a maximum power output above 110kW (147bhp).
- Category C: Goods vehicles and buses
- Category D: Motorcycles
- Category E: Open - all vehicles except motorcycles
How to bid for COE?
There are two COE bidding exercises in a month - both start at 12pm on the first and third Monday of the month, and end at 4pm on Wednesday of the same week, if there are's no public holiday in between.
Bids are submitted either at a DBS/POSB ATM for individual bidders or online via DBS, UOB, or Maybank internet banking services for corporate account holders. Alternatively, most car dealerships will be able to bid on your behalf when you purchase a car, but bid prices are not guaranteed.
Steps to bid for COE:
- Ensure sufficient funds in your bank account, including bank administration fees:
- Cat A, B, C, and E: More than $10,000
- Cat D: More than $1,500
- Ensure the right bidder ID:
- Individuals: Full NRIC or FIN
- Corporate accounts: Full ACRA number or full registered Unique Entity Number (UEN)
Successful bids will be registered under the bidding ID given.
- Select vehicle category, then key in your maximum reserve price: The minimum bid is $1, and you can revise your bid upwards, or withdraw your bid.
- Pay bid deposit (listed below) and non-refundable administration fee - this varies across banks and ranges between $2-$10:
- Cat A, B, C, and E: $10,000
- Cat D: $1,500
Unsuccessful bids will receive back their deposit, but not the administrative fee.
- Receive a six-digit Acknowledgement Code for successfully submitted bids. The code will be used for bid revisions.
How to check COE bid results?
Once bidding ends, bidding statuses are posted on the One Motoring COE Open Bidding page. To check if you're successful, visit One Motoring Digital Services and login using your SingPass.
Winning COE bids are determined by vehicle quota set by LTA and the maximum reserved price set by bidders. But, the Quota Premium (QP), that is, the COE to be paid by all successful bidders within the category, will be the sum of the highest unsuccessful bid plus $1. QP is the price for a new COE.
For example, three bidders place bids for a vehicle quota of two. Bidder A and B bid $50,000 and $45,000 respectively. Bidder C bids $35,000. Bidders A and B will be successful, but their QP will be set at $35,001.
You might also hear the term PQP thrown around. That's a Prevailing Quota Premium and is the cost to renew the COE of an existing vehicle. The PQP is calculated as the moving average of the past three months' QP.
raewyn.koh@asiaone.com
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